1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a suspensory fastener for piping, which is one of type of supporting hardware for piping that is used for supporting or fixing various types of piping, such as service water pipes, sewage pipes, gas pipes, cooling pipes, and heating pipes to a floor surface, wall surface, ceiling, etc., of a building or structure and is of the type that is used to suspend and fix piping from a ceiling, etc.
2. Description of the Invention
Supporting hardware for piping can be classified into several types according to differences in the position at which a pipe is fixed, such as a floor surface, wall, and ceiling, and such types differ in structure. Even among suspensory fastener for piping for ceiling, to which the present invention belongs, there are several types that differ in structure. The difference in structure is related to the difference in the method of attachment to an anchor bolt embedded in a ceiling slab concrete. Specifically, with an arrangement (type A), with which a suspensory fastener is fixed directly to an anchor bolt, the fastener is generally arranged from a single metal plate.
With this type A, the supporting of a pipe in pipe laying work is completed by inserting a bolt into penetration holes provided at joining portions positioned at respective end portions of a band and fastening the bolt with a nut.
With an arrangement (type B), wherein the fastener is attached to an anchor bolt via a height-adjusting member called a turnbuckle, since the upper end side of the fastener must be fixed to two leg portions of the turnbuckle, the fastener is normally arranged from two curved metal plates called bands. This type is classified further into an arrangement (type B-1), wherein the fastener is completely separated into two members, an arrangement (type B-2), wherein end portions of a pair of bands are coupled together by a hinge mechanism, an arrangement (type B-3), wherein end portions of a pair of bands are coupled together by a separable engagement mechanism, etc.
With type B-1, the supporting of a pipe in pipe laying work is completed by fixing the free ends of the bands by means of a band end fastening member, such as a bolt and nut, with the pipe being grasped by curved portions of the bands, the upper end sides of which are fixed to the turnbuckle.
With types B-2 and B-3, the supporting of a pipe in pipe laying work is completed by fixing the free ends of the bands at an upper position to the turnbuckle by means of a band end fastening member, such as a bolt and nut, with the pipe being grasped by the two bands being assembled together by the hinge mechanism or engagement mechanism.
Though in terms of classification, this invention belongs to type B-1 of the above-described classification, a characteristic of this invention is that it comprises a pair of bands that differ in length.
In a Prior Art Document 1 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,762), FIG. 2 shows type A of a suspensory fastener for piping. This suspensory fastener for piping has a band, which is for grasping a pipe and is formed of a single metal plate called a band, and has a structure with which, after inserting an anchor bolt, which is disposed in a ceiling slab concrete, through an opening of an attachment portion formed at a central portion of the band, the band is fixed by a nut that is attached from the end of the anchor bolt and the respective ends of the band are open in C-like form to enable insertion of the pipe. With this type of suspensory fastener for piping, the pipe is positioned at the inner side of the band that opens in C-like form due to elasticity and the end portions of the band are fastened and fixed by a bolt and nut while bending the band so as to grasp the pipe.
With the above-described suspensory fastener for piping shown in FIG. 2 of the Prior Art Document 1, the fixing of the free ends of a band is performed at a position below piping.
FIG. 5 of the Prior Art Document 1 shows type A of a suspensory fastener for piping, with which the free ends of a band are fixed together at a side of a piping.
FIGS. 6, 8, and 9 of the Prior Art Document 1 show type A of a suspensory fastener for piping, with which the free ends of a band are fixed together at a side portion at an oblique pipe position of 135 degrees.
FIGS. 1 and 3 to 5 of a Prior Art Document 2 (Japanese Published Examined Utility Model Application No. S45-7269) show type B-1 of a suspensory fastener for piping with an arrangement wherein the fastener is separated completely into two members comprising pair of curved metal plate.
FIG. 11 of the Prior Art Document 1 shows type B-2 of a suspensory fastener for piping, wherein end portions of a pair of bands are joined together by a hinge mechanism.
FIG. 1 of a Prior Art Document 3 (Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2002-39442) shows type B-3 of a suspensory fastener for piping, wherein end portions of a pair of bands are coupled by a separable joining mechanism.